Worcesteria Jan. 9, 2014

Thursday

Jan 9, 2014 at 5:00 AM

AND SO IT BEGINS: We just got over one election season, but anticipation is already mounting over the November 2014 elections – specifically, the statewide races. The biggest speculation is over whether state Rep. John Binienda, the 17th Worcester District Democrat who has been in office since 1986, will run for a 15th term because of health concerns. District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera’s name has come up in some circles as a possible contender, but the more well-traveled name is that of former At-Large Councilor Mike Germain. He lost re-election to his council seat and has long been rumored to have higher ambitions. Germain could not be reached for comment. As for Rivera, she says she has no plans right now and looks forward to working in Worcester in her second term. “If you ask me today, right now, then I would have to say, No,” Rivera says. “It’s not anything I am even thinking about right now.” It all may be moot because a chipper-sounding Binienda tells Worcester Magazine he isn’t ready to hang it up just yet. “I had a couple months that were rough,” says Binienda, who battles diabetes. “I’ve been seeing my doctors on a regular basis. I was feeling pretty down in October and November.” Now, however, Binienda says he is planning on running. People like Germain have said before they would not run if Binienda does.

MORE POLITICAL FODDER: Speaking of anticipation and speculation, a lot of it is trained on the 15th and 16th districts, where incumbents Mary Keefe and Dan Donahue, respectively, are expected to fight to retain their seats. We’ll start with Keefe, who is in her first term. Although he has yet to publicly announce it, District 2 City Councilor Phil Palmieri has done everything but hire a blimp to fly over the city declaring his attentions. The buzz in political circles is that Palmieri will, indeed, challenge Keefe this year. That could be a race for the ages. Then there is Donahue. The young upstart and former third-in-command in the mayor’s office beat back an unexpectedly strong showing from an even younger Democratic candidate, Josh Perro, to win the right to serve out the remainder of ex- state Rep. John Fresolo’s term last year. That seat expires this year, meaning Donahue has to run all over again. Word on the street is Fresolo will try to reclaim his seat, although there are conflicting reports. One source says Fresolo has landed another job. Still, one Beacon Hill insider insists Fresolo will run. If he does, it is being said that the findings of a House Ethics Committee investigation into Fresolo, which ended in his resignation last year, will be released. Perro could run again, but he is not letting it slip just yet if he is. “I haven’t made any decisions at this point about the upcoming election year,” Perro says. “I am keeping in touch with my supporters as well as the many people I had the honor to meet along the campaign trail from this past summer, but currently I have made no announcements or decisions about my political future. I would also say that I intend to keep all options open.” Perro tells Worcesteria he believes Donahue has done a good job representing the district since being elected, so perhaps he might set his sights elsewhere?

BAD DEBT: When the Henry Lee Willis Community Center closed abruptly early last year the public outrage was immediate and fierce. Many in the minority community rallied to the defense of then-Executive Director Carlton Watson amid talk of possible financial mismanagement and client care issues. There was even talk of a racist element to the yanking of state contracts from the agency. Almost a year later, a report from the office of State Auditor Suzanne Bump reveals the cash-strapped Willis Center was about $1 million in debt to vendors and suppliers and was spending money on things like a luxury car lease for Watson to the tune of $57,080. The apparent loose use of funds happened even as some employees were complaining of not being paid. “Our audit found that ineffective management practices, coupled with the questionable use of thousands of dollars of agency funds, led to the Henry Lee Willis Community Center Inc. experiencing signifi cant cash-flow problems and eventually having to cease its operations,” the report reads. It is unclear whether more reports could follow from other agencies concerning the earlier allegations of client care issues, which were never fully detailed. Attempts to reach Watson for comment on the report have been unsuccessful.

HOLY MOSES: The city’s recent inaugural exercises featured several references to Moses, among the more curious coming from the Rev. Joseph Antwi, who seemed to be comparing Mayor Joe Petty to Moses. Perhaps equally curious was Rabbi Moshe Liberow encouraging people to be like Moses and his siblings, Miriam and Aaron. We assume he did not actually mean we should all get leprosy for a week. Having angered the Lord, Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, “white as snow.” Miriam and Aaron had rebelled against their brother, but Moses still sought God’s leniency on his sister. The basic lesson of Moses, Miriam and Aaron is not to give in to the temptation of vengeance.

ILL TIMING: Speaking of the inauguration, District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera appeared a bit under the weather during the ceremony. Turns out she was battling a bad stomach bug, according to someone who would know. We’re just glad she didn’t lose her stomach during the mayor’s inaugural address.

THEY FORGOT KEN: An anonymous email sent to www.bostonist.com includes a list of new limited edition Massachusetts Barbie dolls. Mind you, these are not actually in production – not that we are aware of. In what is sure to rub a whole lot of folks the wrong way, while amusing others, is the “Worcester Barbie,” which according to the email is a “recently paroled Barbie” that comes with a 9mm handgun, buck knife, a Chevy with dark-tinted windows and a meth lab kit. “This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash [preferable small, untraceable bills],” according to the “list.” A Springfield model is also “available” and comes with a Smith and Wesson handgun and matching hunting knife for “added hometown street cred.”

AWARDED: Going back to state Rep. John Binienda, the veteran lawmaker recently earned the Monsignor Edmond T. Tinsley Award for Leadership and Service to Children and Families. The award was given by Ed Madaus, executive director of the Guild of St. Agnes in Worcester, during a ceremony at Holy Name High School. The Guild, which was established in 1913, honored Binienda last year for his role in including $11.5 million in subsidies for early education and care in the fiscal 2014 budget. The money will help pay salaries, benefits and stipends for professional development of early education and care workers, in addition to general program improvements.

‘JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS OUT...’: Public Works and Parks Commissioner Bob Moylan is retiring, which you probably already knew. But did you know his last day was supposed to be Friday, Jan. 3? A major snowstorm and what he says were some last-minute things he needed to finish up have kept him on an extra week. Moylan insists his final, final day is Friday, Jan. 10. Paul Moosey is set to take over.

SNOW JOB: Speaking of Moylan, he and his department were catching some heat over what some folks thought was a less-than stellar storm response when snow pelted the city last week. That criticism appears unwarranted. As reported on worcestermagazine.com on Daily Worcesteria, Moylan explains that temperatures that plummeted to near zero rendered the typical salt treatment of roads basically useless. Even an enhanced mix was unable to melt the snow with temperatures so low. Moylan puts the threshold temp for salt to be effective at about 20 degrees. That, he says, is why many of the roads were still covered with snow even after being plowed.

ROLLING IT OUT: Mini-Libby is set to make her bow Wednesday, Jan. 8. Lilly, the city’s second mobile library and smaller version of the mobile library, Libby, will be devoted to elementary schools. She will be unveiled at Lincoln Street School in a program that starts at 10 a.m. Lilly will greet students and the public from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

A HOP(SON), SKIP & A JUMP? How much longer until the Telegram and Gazette is sold remains a mystery, but the wheels that were set in motion when Red Sox czar John Henry finally made like Bruce Wayne and emerged from his Bat Cave to tell the nervous Nellies in the T&G newsroom what they should have already known – that he is selling them – remain in motion. Jim Hopson, a longtime newspaper executive, has been brought in as interim publisher to replace Bruce Gaultney, who announced his retirement last month. So, what will Hopson’s charge be? Industry sources who have seen newspapers go through similar changes before believe part of the challenge will be to make the T&G as attractive as possible for potential buyers. Does that mean more trimming of staff and payroll? Maybe, maybe not. Hopson also has a reputation for beefi ng up publications as well. It would seem to make sense to try and do both: cut costs where necessary, but don’t gut an already diminished editorial department. After all, if there’s no news in your paper, advertisers aren’t exactly going to swoon over you.

HAIR OF THE DOG: We know it was purely coincidental, but Worcester Magazine did list a dog park among the 14 Things Worcester Should Accomplish in 2014 in its first issue of the New Year. Lo and behold, the City Council is chewing on a recommendation from Public Works and Parks Commissioner Bob Moylan to use 5 acres of Green Hill Park as a dog park. It would seem to make sense, but going even further, so would two dog parks: one for big doggies and one for smaller pooches. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) points out while there are benefits to a dog park, such as exercise and fun, there are also drawbacks, like dog fights. Interestingly, the ASPCA also notes that people can sometimes have at it, because not everyone has the same ideas as to what is proper dog behavior.

Have a story tip or idea? Call Walter Bird Jr. at 508-749-3166, ext. 322, or email him at wbird@worcestermagazine. com. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @walterbirdjr and catch Walter with Paul Westcott every Thursday morning at 8:35 on radio station WTAG 580AM for all things Worcester!